The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1887-06-04
DEPEw,s oRAToRY.
Roscoe Conkiing's Very Amusing Dis
comfIture.
New York Tribune.1

/ lNeW YORK IrlDune.I
Mr.. Chauncey M. Depew's recent visits at
Albany have recalled to the minds of leading
members OF the Legislature many stories
about his career One of the most amusing
relates how he once deprived Mr.. Roscoe
Conkling of political audience very limo
Gently, but still effectually-and much to Mr.
| Conkling's discomfort.
EARLY in my speech making days." said
Mr.. Depew in describing the incident 'the
Republican State Committee sent Mr.. Conk-
ling and myself through the State arousing
the rural voters to save the Nation. Mr..
Conkling was then the leading Senator from
this State, and also indisputably one Of the
four or five men who controlled the u. s.
Senate. Therefore he was the eminent trag-
edian OF our troupe, while in a minor role
played up to him. One day in our tour we
came to Lockport, and the local Republican
Commute took us to the Fairgrounds. They
had advertised the meeting in all the sur
rounding counties, and the Fairgrounds as
consequence were packed with people, /
should think at least twenty thousand per-
sons were present. The committee of ar
engagements took us up on high platform;
tnere was cheering and shouting. We looked
Noticed that Mr.. Conkling looked dispeased
ABOUT something, but could not conceive its
cause. Pretty soon the chairman of the COM
mlttee sided up to Mr.. Conkling and said
mt mt. Conkll1g would you prefer to be the
tstsad of replying to this question looked at
ne crowd and then at the platform and said:
Where do you intend me to speak?'
:. Why, here. said the Chairman, apparent
~ sa4P PITS sbs psorn,,o.n s,.,o co.,..,
said MI. Conkling, that would not speak
out OF doors and that they must provide me
with hall In every place that we might visit.
But, MT. Conklng,' said the Chairman
IN conservation, there was such multitude
came to hear you speak that the small hall in
our place would not hold them. We there
lore thought you would waive your rule for
once and make your address here
Mr.. Conkling's features did not relax into
ARA gracious smile; On the contrary the frown
grey grew deeper on his face as he replied: 4
told the Republican State Committee that /
would not speak out of doors. / do not in
tend to speak out of doors.'
!, Seeing that MIR, Conkling was inflexibIe.
the Chairman came over to me ana said: sMr'
Depew, we find that Mr.. Depcw prefers To
speak in a hall We will therefore open a
hall down town in which he may make his
ADDRESS. 1t will take us half an hour, how
iy entertain IN tie hal AL ready Would you kind
felt strong and in the speeert he lntervalr 1
and therefore replied. Certainly. WV.
they were putting Mr. Conkling in big
barouche to take him down town had time
to lefiect that there was good chance of
losing my audience in short time. The
great mass Of 1t, indeed, seemed inclined to
follow the chariot of Mr.. Conkling as it
moved off with him seated in it through the
fair grounds. | said to myself, You will
have to catch hold of this crowd pretty quick
or you won't have any one to speak to- The
Chairman luckily at that moment presented
me to the audience. said to myself that it
would be good idea to tell at once an anus
ing story. So started in with story as the
front stoop OF my speech. was strong, my
lungs were in good condition, and had had
months practice in speaking l sent out
out my voice half mile or more over that
crowd. laden with that story. When l got
through man in the crowd yelled out: Tell
us another The crowd laughed, and there
were more cries of tell us another Well,
we had been travelling about the State, as L
said for month, and had heard string Of
about twenty minutes. The crowd by that
time had got mellOwed up and feeling good
natured, and l edged a little into the serious
part of my speech. When l saw they were
getting tired told them more stories, and
started again into the argumentatiye part of
t tt afaEsSs TRS e sea ri tes MA9ls @tbeg Is
of about two and one-half hours duration
they had good digestions in the country.
when got back to the hotel down town
| found Mr.. Conkling in the reading-room
looking out of the window, with very dis
satisfied look on his face. What sort OF an
a chair. oh, replied, AN excellent one.
They heard me with great patience. What
luck did you haveY
"'Weli,' said Mr.. Conkling, they took
me through that crowd at the Fairgrounds
as though were part of a menagerie, an an
imal to be displayed, and when we reached
the lower part of the town they led me into
thing they called hall. We waited half
an hour, and few boys and market
woman strolled inland l did not speak"